5 Foods To Eat In Peru

Peru is the culinary capital of South America. You will find dishes here that you won’t find anywhere else. Check out our new Culinary Journey through Peru itinerary, which shows just why Peru has been voted the World’s Leading Culinary Destination for the last three years.

Ceviche

Fresh fish, lemon juice and chili are blended together to create Peru’s favourite national dish. Peruvians believe that it has aphrodisiac properties and is a great hangover cure. It’s so popular, it has even had a holiday declared in its honour. Each area of Peru seems to give it their own twist – the Andean version is said to include seaweed and the Lima version features sole. However, each dish is guaranteed to be a taste sensation and one that you’re sure to see at the famed Mistura food festival.

Cuy

Guinea pigs are a food staple in Peru. While Westerners might balk at the thought of chowing down on their favourite pet, Peruvians view it the same as rabbit and it’s a large part of the Peruvian diet. It is said to taste like smoky poultry and is served with potatoes, rice or pepper sauce.

Chifa

Chifa dishes have their roots in China. When Chinese immigrants arrived in Peru they created fusion dishes using the ingredients that they brought with them (ginger and soy sauce) and what they could find locally. Chifa favourites include twists on stir-fry dishes, soup and wonton. Look out for Tallarin Saltado (Peruvian chow mein); Chicharron de Gallina (chicken cubes in spiced lemon juice) and Wantan Frito (fried wonton).

Alpaca

This low cal, low fat meat has been eaten in Peru for centuries. It’s said to be gamier than beef and is one of the main sources of meat in the mountains.

Anticuchos

Street food stalls will serve up this meat that’s been marinated in red wine vinegar, cumin and garlic. It was created by African slaves, who when given offal to eat, chose to make the meat more interesting by livening it up with spices and hot peppers. They then threaded these tiny pieces of meat onto pieces of sugar cane so that they could cook them over the grill. The result is now Anticuchos that’s loved all over the country.

Lightfoot Travel is a luxury tour operator with offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai, specialising in designer holidays to countries spanning seven continents around the world. We take pride in the originality of our trips, and a holiday with Lightfoot is guaranteed to be inspired, inventive, and perfectly tailored to suit your needs.

Discover Peru with Lightfoot Travel

Aside from tempting your tastebuds at one of the many restaurants, there is so much to explore in Peru, from colourful crafts to rich rainforests and ancient sites. Head to classic Cusco and the famed Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley for a culture fix; or for nature visit the Peruvian Amazon; and for a taste of local life visit Pisac with its colourful markets.

Explore all this and more on a Luxury Small Group Journey to Peru. With a maximum group size of 14, we will introduce you to people and experiences usually hard to access, from a lecture given by author and scholar Peter Frost to a private cookery class with renowned chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino.

This 6-day itinerary takes in the highlights of Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley in Peru. Cusco is charming with…

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